


A Little Bit Of Home

by ginnydear



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Fluff, HP: Epilogue Compliant, Sappy Ending, post-DH
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-16
Updated: 2016-01-16
Packaged: 2018-05-14 05:53:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5731828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ginnydear/pseuds/ginnydear
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two weeks after it all ends, Harry and Ginny have a moment alone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Little Bit Of Home

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this in March of 2015, and I recently rediscovered it in my documents. I'm not a big fan of it now, mostly because I wrote this when I first started writing HP fics, and I don't like most of what I wrote back then. But I was convinced to post it, so here it is.

The house was empty for the first time in two weeks.

Powerful wards surrounded the property. The press had spent the past two weeks trying to find those who hid in the Burrow, tried to take pictures and follow them. The wizarding world was in shock, and naturally people wanted information. There were already multiple accounts of how The Battle of Hogwarts had occurred, how Voldemort had been defeated. People wanted firsthand accounts, especially any comment from one Harry Potter, but those who had survived were staying quiet.

They had laid Fred to rest, a somber experience that took place a mere four days after the battle. The event had been packed, and the security was strict. Molly Weasley was not having her sons’ funeral turned into a media parade. In fact, she had placed most of the powerful wards surrounding her home.

But she wasn’t home at the moment. Neither was Arthur Weasley. He had spent most of his days at the Ministry, trying to help rebuild a shattered structure. After days of him not returning home due to the work load, Molly had finally decided to leave her house and visit him. With little to do in the Burrow, she’d given in. It was for the best. Most of the temporary guests, those who weren’t family, had vacated the property. Bill and Fleur were back at their cottage, where Bill was recovering from his wounds. Charlie had made his way back to his dragons as soon as he could. Percy spent a lot of time at the Ministry, and was said to be sleeping in an old office. No matter how hard she tried, Molly could not get him to come home.

Ron, after some bargaining, was with Hermione in Australia. They were searching for her parents, but Ginny had pointed out that they were probably going to relax alone for a while before anything else. Their relationship hadn’t evolved past their travels the previous year, and many suspected that some time alone would be fruitful for the pair. Hermione had promised to write, and then she and Ron had disappeared.

George spent a week in the Burrow, and then he moved along to the flat above his shop. He’d invited a few school friends, people he could lean on, and Molly frequently visited them. His recovery was the hardest, it seemed, and with loads of support from practically everyone, he looked to be okay.

But that meant that the house was empty, save two people.

Harry Potter couldn’t make himself leave. The transition was hard at first. A warm bed, functional shower, and an actual kitchen were something he hadn’t seen in a year. He relished in the comfort of the home, his body relaxing finally. The familiar bed had eased his muscles, and he had taken a scorching bath once or twice. He was thankful for the sanctuary.

But for two weeks, he’d been trying to get a quiet, alone moment with Ginny. Between all of the people going in and out of the house, and the worrying hovering Molly, he hadn’t been able to have her full attention for more than a minute before an interruption occurred.

However, as he sat on the couch in the parlour, he couldn’t bring himself to move. He could hear her up in her room, moving as she organized the wash she’d just finished. He wanted to go to her, wrap his arms around her, and let his frustrations float away. He wanted to feel her right next to him. For the past two weeks, he’d only had soft touches in passing. A hand on his shoulder at Fred’s funeral, a quick hug as they prepared to floo back to the Burrow. He had received numerous hugs from the people around him (most of which came from Mrs. Weasley) but none held any weight to him. He had tolerated the hugs, knew that for most it was for their benefit. They sought some sense of comfort, though it provided him with none.

He was startled out of his thoughts as he heard feet on the stairs. He shifted on the cushion of the couch, listening to the sounds. The feet came to a stop in the kitchen, and it was silent. He looked up at the entry way and wasn’t let down. Ginny walked around the corner, and smiled when she found him sitting there.

“Hi,” she said softly, walking slowly into the room. She stood away from him, her hands clasped in front of her. The smile on her face didn’t diminish though. It gave him a bit of courage.

“Come sit,” he motioned to her, and she teetered on her feet. She crossed the room easily and sat down slightly away from him, pulling her legs up on the couch to cross them. She let her hands fall into her lap, clasping together again. He watched every move she made, trying to gauge where her head was.

Words bubbled up in his chest, words he desperately wanted to say, but looking at her face he couldn’t muster the courage. She was giving him a puzzled look, though there was mirth in her eyes that let him know she wasn’t completely serious. He smiled at her.

“Are you okay, Harry?” she asked, reaching over and resting her hand on his bicep. He looked at her hand, and then up at her face, and he felt the smile on his face widen slightly. She beamed at him in response.

“No,” he stated truthfully, “but I’m a little better with you here.”

He saw the emotion flash across her face at his words, but then she schooled her features and smirked at him.

“Well then,” she said, easily sliding across the couch to sit flush against him, wrapping her arm around his torso. He moved his arm to around her shoulder, and on instinct rested his nose on the top of her head. He breathed in her scent, relished the warmth of her embrace, and he felt the familiar lump in his throat. He tried, desperately, to push it down, to just take a moment to relax, but his body was having none of it. With Ginny snuggled into his side, her head on his shoulder, Harry felt a sob bubble up from his chest and out his mouth.

Ginny’s hand came up and rested on his cheek, though she didn’t move her head from its position.

“It’s okay,” she whispered against his shirt, and he shook somewhat violently. It was then that she looked up at him, and the concern and sympathy in her eyes crumbled his walls. He reached up under his glasses and rubbed his eyes, and he felt the glasses leave his face. He squinted at her, and he heard her giggle.

“Come here,” she whispered, and he felt her guiding his head to her shoulder. She wrapped her arms tightly around his shoulders and kissed the top of his head. Another sob escaped him, and he felt her hand begin to massage his scalp.

“I’m so sorry,” he croaked against her, and she shushed him again. With the last of his resolve tumbling down, he gripped her tightly and let himself find comfort in her arms.

They sat like that for almost an hour, Harry softly crying against her shoulder. Ginny ran her fingers through his hair and held him the entire time. She didn’t say a word as he apologized again and again, or told her how much he’d missed her. Every time he said something, he would feel a soft kiss on his head. And finally, after a long time, his body exhausted, he was able to calm himself into controlled crying. He felt Ginny take in a deep breath, and slowly release it. The feeling had a calming effect on him, and he felt his body relax against her. His weight seemed to push on her, and he felt her falling backwards slightly, but when he tried to pull out of her embrace, she stopped him.

“No,” she said firmly, pulling him with her as she lay back on the couch. He fell against the back cushions, tucking himself between Ginny’s body and the back. He pulled his legs over her so he was laying straight. She shifted so she was comfortable and then she went back to running her fingers through his hair.

“I’m sorry Gin,” he said quietly and she huffed.

“What do you have to be sorry about?” she challenged him, and he tilted his head to look up at her. Through the fuzz, he could definitely make out that hard look he’d come to fondly associate with her.

 “For leaving you. For what you dealt with at Hogwarts. For Fred,” he choked out the last part, more tears coming to his eyes. Much to his surprise, she shook her head.

“You do not have to feel any guilt about _any_ of those things,” she whispered, kissing his forehead. He shut his eyes as the warmth spread over him.

“But I do, I feel it all so intensely,” he returned, and he felt her kiss his skin again.

“I know you do, Harry, it’s your downfall, but you must understand that no one blames you. Well, I take that back, there are some supporters of Tom who will always blame you, but they don’t particularly matter now, do they?” she asked, and he had to chuckle at that. With a squeeze of his shoulders, she continued.

“I do not blame you for anything. I never have, and you know that. I have never once doubted you, and always believed in who you are and what your destiny was. You know that, right?”

He nodded, unsure of his voice. There was another lump in his throat.

“And as long as I’m here, by your side, you do not have to feel any guilt whatsoever,” she finished, punctuating her words with another kiss to his forehead. He took in a shaky breath and let it out carefully, calming his body enough to speak.

“God, I missed you so much,” he mumbled, looking up at her. He could scarcely make out her face, but he was sure she was smiling at him.

“I missed you too,” she replied, and he felt his stomach flop. She reached above her head and handed him his glasses. He slipped them back onto his face and looked at her closely. Her head was on a pillow, her hair splayed out around her. He sat up on his elbow and gazed down at her. He smiled at the blush that crept up her face at his gaze.

“I want to kiss you right now,” he blurted; unaware that he’d even been thinking that. She reached up and pushed on his chest, forcing him to sit up on the couch. She followed him, slinging her legs across his lap and siting with her chest to his side. He watched her settle against him before she looked into his eyes.

“I want you to kiss me right now,” she countered, and he almost laughed.

Bringing his hand up to cup her cheek, he leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. She easily melted into him, holding onto the back of his head. The memories of their time at Hogwarts flooded his brain, and the happiness he’d felt then filled him. He felt some strange sense of closure as she kissed him back fervently, her hands on his body. When she finally pulled back, her chest was heaving and her face flushed. He smiled at the fond memory of this Ginny, sitting in his arms in some secluded part of the castle.

“That brings back memories,” he said softly, leaning forward to press a softer kiss to her mouth. She laughed against him, ducking her head in slight embarrassment.

“Positive ones, I hope,” she mumbled, and he nodded.

“Yes, very positive ones,” he replied, pulling her chin up so he could kiss her again.

And again, and again, and as the sun began to set, Harry wondered how much longer they’d be alone. Knowing that time was of the essence, he reluctantly stopped his assault on her lips and pulled back, placing a soft kiss to the tip of her nose. She giggled, and the sound was music to his ears.

“I need to tell you some things before we’re interrupted,” he said, and her face fell slightly. She pursed her lips, in a fashion that rivaled her mothers, and then nodded easily.

“Okay, lay it on me,” she replied, shifting so she was more comfortable. He kissed her forehead, and then let his head fall back against the couch. He formulated the words in his head before looking back down at her.

 “I hate that I left you,” he looked at the ceiling, “and I’ll feel guilty about that for a long time. I cannot… well, I slightly can imagine what you dealt with. I tried to keep tabs on what was happening at the school. We listened to the radio, all the time. And I had the map… I would take out the map and search for your dot. I would look at who was around you, and I would hope that you were safe.”

He looked back down at her, and her eyes shone brightly back up at him.

“I wish I could have protected you better,” he smiled as she looked ready to protest, “but what’s done is done. I did what I had to do. I did what needed to be done. But, oh Ginny did it just… suck. I’m having trouble processing that I’m even in a warm house, sleeping in a warm bed. I’m having trouble processing all of it, quite frankly, but being here… this is the toughest. I didn’t actually know if I’d ever sit here in peace again. I hoped, I always hoped, that I would be able to come back here and happily sit down for dinner at the table again, but a larger part of me thought about how that was unlikely.

“And I still doubt it, Ginny, I still do. Because the war’s over, and Tom Riddle is dead, but the world is still in chaos, and everyone wants me to be part of the restoration, but I’m barely in one piece myself,” his voice cracked, and Ginny kissed his collarbone, “I don’t think I’ve felt entirely myself in years. Not since the tournament, probably. I felt some semblance of it during our courtship, though, I can say that.”

She looked up at him with a smile, and he gave her his best grin. They stared at each other for a moment, soaking up the feeling in the room.

“I don’t know how much of me is here, right now,” he mumbled, and she shut her eyes.

“That’s okay Harry,” she responded, and he shook his head.

“Ginny, I want to…. I want to be right here with you. I missed you, so much. I regretted breaking it off with you the second I did, even though I had to keep you safe. And now I just want to have that back, but I’m not back yet and…” he trailed off, and Ginny smiled at him. It looked almost sad.

“I don’t expect you to be one hundred percent yourself right away, Harry. I don’t expect anything from you, and that’s not in a bad way. I don’t want you to feel like you have to live up to any expectations for me right now. The rest of the world wants you to be whatever, but I’m okay with what you are right now,” she said, punctuating it with a soft kiss. Harry felt his heart surge, and he held her close.

“I’m here, by your side, through whatever comes next,” she whispered against his neck, and he smiled.

“And I will not be leaving you anytime soon, you can count on that,” he said as he kissed her hair, and she laughed softly.

“Good. Because you’re not allowed,” she stated, and he chuckled.

The silence that followed wrapped itself around them, and Harry sank into it. Ginny snuggled closer to his side, her fragrance filling his nose. He felt her take in a deep breath, and the feeling of her letting it out calmed him. He felt her breaths even out, and he slowed his to match hers. As their breathing slowed, he felt his eyes begin to droop. Ginny looked up as his body went heavy and he fell asleep. She smiled and rested her head back against his warm shoulder.

That’s how Molly found them two hours later, asleep and entangled. She smiled as she stepped out of the fireplace, her heart swelling with a feeling of hope. She walked to them and carefully placed a blanket around them, noticing the puffiness that rimmed Ginny’s eyes. She left it alone, heading towards her bedroom to grab what she’d come home for.

(_-_)

Harry woke to a dark house, and his body went alert immediately. He relaxed when he heard a humming coming from the kitchen, and he sat up. He’d somehow ended up lying on the couch, and Ginny wasn’t there anymore. He stood, wrapped the blanket that had been draped on him around his shoulders, and moved to the kitchen. He stopped in the doorway and observed Ginny for a moment. She was pouring two cups of tea, and he was sure she knew he was there. The smile that spread across her face as she looked down at the cups of tea was a giveaway.

He moved to her side, facing opposite her, leaning against the counter. She turned so she was right next to him, handing him a mug. He looked at the steam rising from it and smiled. She moved the blanket off one of his shoulders to slip under it, taking his hand in hers.

“What do you want to do now?” she asked after a few moments of silence. He frowned into his tea, his mind a mess. He let out a deep breath and looked at her. She gave him a look that told him she wasn’t going to rest until he responded, so he shrugged.

“I’m not quite sure, to be honest,” he conceded, and she offered him a sad smile.

“Well, what are you sure of?”

The question caught him off guard and he had to think about it for a moment. He stared off ahead of him, out the window and into the moonlight outside the house. He looked around then, the familiar layout comforting. He looked back at Ginny, with her expectant gaze and messy appearance. Her hair was sticking out of her pony tail, and a few strands were framing her face.

“I want to settle for a bit, find some semblance of home… of belonging somewhere,” he mumbled, “and then finish school, maybe, even though I’m sure I could get any job I’d like at the moment,” they both chuckled, and Ginny let her head fall onto his shoulder. He kissed the crown of her head.

“Do you consider the Burrow home?” she asked, surprising Harry. He pursed his lips.

“I suppose,” he replied, “and as long as you’re here, I know I belong.”

She looked up at him, her eyes shining. She placed her tea down on the counter, doing the same with his, before wrapping her arms around his torso and burying her face in his shirt. He hugged her back, resting his nose against her temple.

“Did I say something wrong?” he asked, slightly concerned. When she shook her head, his brow furrowed.

“Then… are you okay?”

She looked at him, and there were tears on her cheeks. He cupped her face, running the pad of his thumbs across her cheeks. She let out a strangled sob.

“Harry, you belong here no matter what. You’re more a part of this family than Percy, to be honest,” she said fiercely, and Harry had to chuckle at that. He reached up and ran his thumbs across her eyebrows and down her face, ending at her lips. He leaned forward and kissed her.

“I know that, but right now,” he paused to kiss her again, “the only place I want to be is with you.”

“Harry,” she whispered, shaking her head. She laughed, more tears beginning to stream down her face.

“I know I sound ridiculously cliché, I’m sorry,” his voice was amused, and she giggled at him.

“You sound _absolutely_ ridiculous,” she conceded, and he smiled at her. He felt the smile in his stomach.

“Ginny, the only place I want to be is with you. I missed you so much… and, I was going to try to tell you this sometime in the future, if I got the chance,” he cleared his throat, “but right before V-Tom… sent the killing curse at me, my last thought was of you.”

The breath she sucked in sounded strained, and as he gazed into her eyes, he saw something flash across them. She bit her bottom lip, and shook her head as she seemed to laugh.

“You should’ve saved that for a proposal or something,” she said, and he smirked at her.

“Are you saying that someday I’ll be proposing marriage to you?” he said, and she returned his smirk.

“If you’re lucky, Potter.”

“I sure hope I am.”

She paused then, her eyes searching his. Gently, she reached up and ran her fingers through his hair. He leaned into her touch, and a piece of her heart seemed to heal.

“I want to be home and right now,” he looked at her, “my home is you.”

The smile she flashed him was full of hope.

“I like that. And someday, I promise, you’ll be in a house you can call home.”


End file.
